Apparatus for operating locomotive-whistles



(No Model.)

J. W. THOMAS, Jr. APPARATUS FOR OPERATING LOGOMOTIVE WHISTLES.

No. 566,245. Patented Aug. 18, 1896.

NITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W. THOMAS, JR, OF NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE.

APPARATUS FOR OPERATING LOCOMOTlVE-WHISTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 566,245, dated August 18, 1896.

Application filed April 11,1896. Serial No. 587,167. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. THOMAS, J12, of Nashville, in the State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Operating Locomotive-Whistles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which represents in side elevation, partly in section, an apparatus embodying my invention.

In the drawing, A is a portion of a locomotive-boiler.

B is the steam-dome, and O is the whistle.

D is a portion of the engineers cab.

It is my object to provide means by which the whistle can be operated by compressed air controlled by a valve located in convenient proximity to the engineer, and, further, to provide means by which the whistle can be operated by hand in event of the failure from any cause of the compressed-air supply. To this end I proceed as follows: The usual spring-closed steam-valve inside the stem of the whistle is directly operated on by a lever a, fulcrumed at b to the stem of the whistle and having its inner end adapted, when the outer and longer arm of the lever is raised, to open the valve in the usual way for the escape of the steam by which the whistle is sounded. This lever may be operated by hand by the hand-lever c, fulcrumed at d in a bracket 6, attached to the roof of the cab and connected to the whistle-lever a by a connecting-rod f, which passes up through the roof of the cab. The compressed-air apparatus for operating the whistle consists of an air-cylinder g, containing a packed piston h, provided with a piston-rod h, which extends out through the top of the cylinder and is joined by a connection 2' to the connectingrod f. The cylinder is attached firmly to the cab by a bracket 70. A spring Z in one end of the cylinder forces the piston down in a direction to cause its piston-rod to pull down on the connecting-rod f, and thus hold the lever a in a position in which the whistle-valve is closed.

With the other end of the cylinder communicates a small compressed-air-supply pipe m, which leads to and is controlled by the small three-way cook 02, which is tapped into the main air-supply pipe 0 of the air-brake system near the engineers brake-valve p. In one position the valve or cook 01 puts the cylinder in communication with the air supply o, thus forcing piston it up against the stress of spring Z, and consequently through the piston-rod h and connecting-rod f operating the lever a to open the whistle-valve. In the other position the valve 4% opens the cylinder to the atmosphere permitting the air to exhaust therefrom and the spring Z to force the piston in a direction to cause the whistle-valve to close. In this way the whistle can be conveniently and readily operated by the engineer, while at the same time if the air-pump or air supply should from any cause give out the whistle can still be operated by the hand-lever c.

I do not wish to be understood as restrictin g myself to the special arrangement and construction of instrumentalities herein shown and illustrated. The arrangement of levers or other motion-transmitting devices and the location of the pneumatic cylinder manifestly can be varied, according to the location of the whistle and its distance from the engineers cab.

I remark also that the spring Z can be dispensed with, inasmuch as the steam-pressure under the whistle-valve is suiiicient to force it up to its seat.

Having described my improvements, what I claim herein as new and of my own invention is Apparatus for operating locomotive-whistles comprising in combination the whistle and its valve; the air-cylinder, its piston and piston-rod; connections between said pistonrod and whistle-valve whereby the latter is opened when compressed air is admitted to the air-cylinder 5 a pipe leading from a source of compressed-air supply to the cylinder for supplying air thereto; a valve or cook for controlling said air supply located in the locomotive-cab in convenient proximity to the engineer; a handle and connections between said handle and the whistle-valve whereby the latter may be manually operated independently of the compressed-air device, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of March, 1896.

JOHN W. THOMAS, J R.

"Witnesses:

R. T. SAUNDERS, H. G. MANEY. 

